just curious, what percentage of people here actually left the jw org because of this site or similar sites?
do these sites really help people to get out?
I mentally left all on my own. Dissonance built up to the point where I knew I had to leave. It was only then I searched on Yahoo to see if it's common for a JW to become an atheist. This is how I stumbled on JWD.
So I initially left on my own, but JWD helped a lot sort thru issues and helped get out completely.
only poor 3rd world countries seem to be booming, not like the old days!.
azebaijan 799 17% inc. burundi 8,233 12% inc. cambodia 329 25%.
east timor 123 29%.
This is where statistics can be deceiving. The 'large growth' countries are only large percentage-wise. Most of the countries with double-digit increases have far under 1000 publishers. East Timor went from 83 to 107 publishers. Great that it's 29%, but that's a small number. Japan's loss of 590 publishers probably makes up for the 'large gain' of many of the very small countries.
someone just sent me a link to the 2008 annual report.. haven't read it yet.
randy .
http://www.4shared.com/file/75568905/6c852737/2008_annual_report.html.
9,986 partakers after 9,105 last year? That's the biggest single-year increase since... well, ever.
So this continues the major issue with the anointed INCREASING every year! Good! Curious how they will keep explaining this!
someone just sent me a link to the 2008 annual report.. haven't read it yet.
randy .
http://www.4shared.com/file/75568905/6c852737/2008_annual_report.html.
a 2.1% increase to 6,829,455 means an increase from 6,688,986, or 140,468 publishers. If 289,678 were baptised, then 149,210 were disfellowshipped, or stopped being active. This means for every 2 coming in, 1 leaves!
This is all on average. You know they fudge their numbers!
i wasn't there in the garden of eden.
if i had been maybe i wouldn't have eaten from that tree.
your issue has nothing to do with me.
I never fully wrapped my brain around this issue either. Why would a loving, all powerfull god need to make millions of people suffer to prove a point? Why involve people in your wager that have nothing to prove themselves, and who have no say in the matter?
In additon to that, now that the point is basically proven, the argument is that the end is being delayed to save more people. But people are born on this planet at a faster rate than the JWs could ever keep up with to preach to. So in that argument, the end will never come.
i think there is no god or satan or ghosts or ufo's....but....my sub-consciuos mind is so messed up by witnesses if i hear a bump in the night i need to investigate....in the back of my mind i fear demons more then a burgular!
it so weird, it was drummed into me all my life, it still freaks me even though logically i know it's not at all real.
i have a bad dream and jump up to check the house....how's that for a 37 year old 6 foot 4 man?
if you scream Jehovah, they'll leave you alone. The demons hear his name and shudder, remember?
I never got this... if the demons shuddered just hearing the name Jehovah, then why should JWs be scared of them?
i was "counseled"* for being mad that my jw boyfriend began dating my sister.
it was wrong of me to have feelings.
any embarrassment i felt was due to being puffed up with pride.
and except for one young couple going in the basment and having sex on some exercise equipment, there was no problem at all
Oompa, you are funny!
version 1. john denver at his concert asks "if there are any jehovah's witnesses in the audience can you please leave.".
version 2. on the johnny carson show he said the same before singing a patriotic song.
johnny carson told denver "see that cameraman there..and that lighting guy...there jehovahs witnesses, alot of witnesses work for me because their honest people..so now you can leave.".
I have heard this urban legend many years ago. If you believe Snopes, they did the research, and say it's false. http://www.snopes.com/music/artists/ordered.asp
A more balanced version of this legend in the article that may be more accurate is that John Denver respected the JW's neutrality, so when he played a very patriotic song, he said "If there are any JWs in the audience, you may not enjoy the next set, this would be a good time to go to the bathroom or get food or drink".
i was "counseled"* for being mad that my jw boyfriend began dating my sister.
it was wrong of me to have feelings.
any embarrassment i felt was due to being puffed up with pride.
Got counseled several times for my kids playing with the kids across the street. My kid was 4 at the time, and they just played ball outside. This was a neighbor who knew we were JWs and was very respectful of our beliefs.
This was from an elder whose three now teenage kids were never allowed to play with 'worldly' kids. 2 have moved out and no longer go to meetings, and the third also will leave the cult as soon as she's old enough.
We were told that playing with worldly kids is the start of them getting DF'd later. Wow. We didn't agree with the direct correlation and kept letting them play.
if you grew up a jw, did you always know you weren't going to be one when you grew up?
did you ever have that spark?
i don't think i always knew i wouldn't be one.
In hindsight, yes. They would say in meetings that early signs of your "spirituality" (i.e. loyalty to the WTS) slipping are things like lack of prayer, reading/studying, missing meetings/service, etc. I was doing all that.
Plus I never hated the things I should have, like college, worldly people, drinking, etc.
I guess I was ripe for leaving the cult without consciously knowing it But at some point it slowly became more and more conscious.
